Bracelet and method of making same



Oct. 19, 1948.

L. KR EI SLER ET AL BRACELET AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 23, 1946 (Ittorneg m 2 m a 0 mg a m m fly e S 2 m d mm L KREISLER ET AL BRACELET AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Oct. 19, 1948.

Flled Aug 23 1946 Paienteaoei. 19, 1948 UNITED PATENT OFFICE BRACELET AND Mizrnon OF MAKING SAME Leslie Kreislen Teaneek, and John G. Siska, Cresskill, N. .L, assig-nors to Jacques Kreisler Manuteetering Corporation, North Bergen, N. J., a ,cio notatio of New Jersey Application August 23, 1946, Serial No. 692,617

. 6 Claims.

This invention relates to bracelets or the like, and to a method of making the same.

More particularly, the inst-ant invention relates to bracelets of the general type disclosed in the col-pending applicationof Leslie Kreisler, Serial No. 673,691, filed May 31, 1946.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a bracelet, .or the like, which is fabricated from individual spiral links that are joined without any special connecting elements, and which assumes the appearance of obliquely interwoven, continuous bands rather than that Of joined spiral links.

it is another important object of the present invention to devise a method of fabricati g racelets ofwthis typ which lends it elfto hi hly fiicient mass productionof the brace et at e t mely low cost. 7

The above and other objects, feature advanta es of the p esent nvent o l be fu l der toed f omthe renew n d cr p on ns ered in connection with the accompanying illustra tivedrawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged elevational view of a section of a bracelet embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows the individual links as they are coordinated prior to their formation into the bracelet shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the coordinated links shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 illustrates an intermediate step in the formation of the coordinated links into bracelet form;

Fig. 5 is .a fragmentary side elevation oft'he parts shown in Fig. 4 as Viewed in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan View ofthe bracelet shown in Fig. 1, prior to the removal therefrom of pins used temporarily in the manufacture'of the bracelet;

Fig. 71s a fragmentary section taken on the 1-51 ofFig. 1; I

Fig. .8 is a fragmentary side elevation of the bracelet, drawn to alarger scale than in Fig. 1;

and

Fig.9 is a fragmentary section-taken substantially-n the line 944 Fig.8. 1

Referring to the drawings; the reference numeral 2U designates atbracelet (Fig. l) which is fabricated from individual links 22 (Figs-.12 and :3). The links 22 are. the form of spira s ma preferably from-;fl at,;. rela rel flatmetal sto kthe present instance; t e spiral links 2: a e

line

- 2 madefrom half-round stock as shown in cross section in Figs. '7 and 9. The link 22 are of two t pes, namely, oppositely directed or wound spirals 22a and 2 b (Fi s- 2 nd h h e used alternately in the fabrication of the bracelet for a reason which will become clear hereina ter- In fabricating the bracelet, as many lin-ks as are required therefor are initially assembled by irrt r es ne the on l io s 5 f al erna e li s .211 a d 2 in t e f s on h ninFiele- 2 and 3, and extending temporary pins 28 through the openings 30, formed by the intermeshed con- Volutjions of adjacent links 22 (Fig. 3), to hold the parts in the assemmeii rela ion sh w fi .2.- The links '22 and t m orar pins 28 s m led i the relation shown in Fig. ,2 are hereinafter referred toas the link assembly 32, It will be noted inFigs. 2 and3 that the adjacent ends 24 of consecutive links 22 inthe assembly 32 are disposed a te nately on o it s es of the a for a purpose which will become evident herein after.

T e ad ac nt ends .24 9f the l nks 22 91 3 8335 sembly 3-? m y ne t e la ed be e p aten 3 Fi s. a. and 5 hic are el tive mo able to andfrom each other. On relative movement of these platens 34 -towa rd each other, the interposed end of th links 22 are bent inwardly toward their adjacen ins 2 n ex e s mi a to ha shown in iF ge. f r a rurpe e wi h will beca obvious hereinafter. H l

The Jim: a embly ,2 i 4??? pl Qfii .Will'l am-s, shown c o hed-dash lin s Fl wh ch e ei rabl hav ho es; :3 f t Reserve o th adia eeten s Q the pins 28,9 the ink assembly 32. The, rams 35 are relatively movable to and from each other. .Qn relative movement of the rams 36 toward each other, the spiral links 2 a ti e i iterneses ass mbly-,3;are-ante: co eresse and the r iete m shed or 'v l o eifi fo ed int pe mane n a nt w t one, oth li ies Ra d ,1 or io P ev nt. 19 pansion of the lin 2 2 laterally of .the as-sembly wearin th eanpressi nbeiweee the ein the ink as embl 2 i p a d. be ween op si e nomvie ee ret...eer i at n-d! sh n n d an d' m s- .Fiesandfl 1...

.1 compressin th ieka e .h v 2 be wee the ram a rlde c ibed. th a osit endsflz i 0 link .22 W i alsabefQm-ed .q wee e9 hs w ek diaceeta in wand theaelia eet semen-valum telvstraia the end convolutions 26' of said links, in that the inwardly bent ends 24 are in more favorable disposition for their forced entry between the adjacent pins 28 and the nearest'end convolutions of the adjacent links 22.

After removing the compressed link assembly 32 from between the rams 36, and the pins 23 from the assembly 32, the bracelet is completed, and it may then undergo a plating process or any other em-bellishing process.

In compressing the link assembly 32 as described, the same is elongated longitudinally as follows clearly from a comparison between Figs. 1 and 2 and also between Figs. 3 and 6. The link assembly 32 is, during its compression, elongated longitudinally since the links 22 thereof are prevented from expanding transversely of the assembly 32 by the retainer platens 46 (Figs. 3 and 6). By preventing expansion of the links 22 transversely of the assembly 32, the thickness of the bracelet is kept within narrow limits and the same may have a slender appearance, while longitudinal expansion of the link assembly 32 in consequence of its compression enhances its pleasant appearance of obliquely interwoven, continuous bands 50, 52, 54 and 56, for instance (Fig. 1). Compression of the link assembly 32 also efiects a positive interlock between the intermeshed convolutions 26 of adjacent links 22. The interlock between the intermeshed convolutions 26 of adjacent links 22 is two-fold. Thus, the intermeshed convolutions 26 are, in consequence of the compression of the links 22 of the assembly 32, deformed at their intersections in a manner approximately like that shown at 58 in Fig. 9. The portions of the intermeshed convolutions thus deformed are firmly interlocked, and the interlock thus obtained between adjacent links 22 is in itself sufiicient effectively to resist separation of these links. In addition, the intermeshed convolutions 26 of adjacent links 22 of the assembly 32 are, also in consequence of the compression of the latter, projected into each other as shown at 60 in Fig. 8, to the extent that they resist separation of the links.

The described interlock between the adjacent links ofthe bracelet, while being a limited interlock in the sense that the adjacent links 22 of the bracelet are permitted to pivot slightly about axes parallel to their longitudinal axes, nevertheless lends such considerable tensile strength to the bracelet that it will not come apart even on the application of force which is considerably greater than that to which the bracelet is subjected in ordinary usage. The adjacent links 22 of the bracelet are even further, and quite considerably, reenforced against separation from each other by the interlinked or intercurled end convolutions 26'-of said links (Figs. 6 and '7) As shown in Fig. 3, the links 22 from which the bracelet is fabricated are oval, or generally oblong, rather than round in shape, securing the advantage that more nearly cylindrical openings 30 of maximum cross-sectional area between the intermeshed convolutions 26 of adjacent links 22 permit the ready assembly of said links 22 with strong temporary pins 28 of relatively large diameter. The generally oblong shape of the 4 links 22 secured the further, important advantage that the bracelet will be more slender, and will enhance its appearance of obliquely interwoven, continuous bands rather than have the unsightly appearance of connected spiral elements. Hence, despite its very considerable tensile strength, the bracelet may be slender in appearance, particularly since the oblong links 22 may be made of relatively heavy stock without appearing unduly,

bulky in the bracelet.

The links 22 from which the bracelet is fabricated are extremely simple and inexpensive to make. Furthermore, the described steps of assembling the links 22 and forming them into the bracelet 20 constitute a method which lends itself to highly efiicient mass production of the bracelet at very low cost.

While the abovedescribed method of making the bracelet contemplates the use of temporary pins 28, it is to be understood that these pins may be dispensed with altogether. So long as the intermeshed elements 22 (Figs. 2 and 3) are confined between the retainer platens 40, they will remain in their intermeshed relation without the aid of the pins 28, and will be axially compressed by the rams 36 (Fig. 2) into the form of the bracelet shown in Fig. 1. The elements 22 may, of course, be intermeshed as shown in Fig. 2, and placed between the retainer platens 40, without the aid of the temporary pins 28, as will be readily understood.

While we have shown and described several forms of our invention, it will be understood that our invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein illustrated or described and that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the arrangement of parts without departing from the invention as defined by the patent claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bracelet band, comprising a series of alternate, oppositely directed spiral elements arranged side by side with the convolutions of adjacent elements in meshed relation, the intermeshed convolutions of adjacent elements being at each of their intersections mutually deformed into mutual interlocked relation to prevent substantial relative movement between said adjacent elements, said interlock between the intermeshed convolutions of adjacent elements solely holding the latter against separation.

2. A flexible bracelet band, comprising an assembly of alternate, oppositely directed spiral elements arranged side-by-side with the convolutions of adjacent elements in meshed relation, the intermeshed convolutions of adjacent elements being at each of their intersections mutually deformed into mutual limited interlocked relation to prevent substantial relative movement between said adjacent elements, other than restricted relative pivotal movement therebetween about axes parallel to their longitudinal axes, said interlock between the intermeshed convolutions of adjacent elements solely holding the latter against separation.

3. A flexible bracelet band as set forth in claim 2, in which each spiral element is formed of substantially fiat band stock disposed widthwise substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the element.

4. A flexible bracelet band as set forth in claim 2, in which the elements have generally oblong convolutions and are disposed in the band so that they extend with the longer dimensions of their convolutions longitudinally of the band.

5. A flexible bracelet band as set forth in claim 2, in which each spiral element is formed of substantially fiat band stock disposed wldthwise substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said element, and said elements have generally oblong convolutions and are disposed in the assembly so that they extend with the longer dimensions of their convolutions longitudinally of the assembly.

6. A flexible bracelet band, comprising a series of alternate, oppositely directed spiral elements arranged side by side with the convolutions of adjacent elements in meshed relation, the adjacent end convolutions of adjacent elements being intercurled and the intermeshed convolutions of adjacent elements being at each of their intersections mutually deformed into mufal limited interlocked relation toprevent substantial rela- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 155,941 Grant Oct. 13, 1874 1,784,254 Schoter Dec. 9, 1930 

